engleski

Croatia and Western Balkans: Socio-economic situation and challenges of regional cooperation

Presentation analyzed current state of play and challenges of the EU enlargement policy in the Western Balkans (WB) and the importance of the upcoming Croatian EU accession for the WB region. Analysis focused on the achievements of the EU enlargement policy among the WB countries seen in their political and economic development and subsequently sparked regional cooperation but it also tackled the remaining obstacles such as bilateral and statutory disputes, weak administrative capacities and the waning EU political commitment for enlargement. Mrs. Samardžija stated that the Croatian EU membership indeed can have positive impacts on the WB countries and support their reform endeavours through the transfer of knowledge and know-how gained during the EU accession process. However, the longer stalemate of the EU enlargement policy in the region urges the need to recast the instruments and approach of the EU accession policy in order to keep the reform momentum among the WB countries and prevent their political and economic set-back.

EU accession; regional cooperation; Croatia; Western Balkans

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